The Longings of a Heart
by mongomyrungo
Summary: A story of untimely love. A new family moves into Nibelheim, setting off a chain of events that would set Cloud on a path to self-discovery. He makes new friends along the way as he finds the true nature of his heart's desire.
1. Loire Manor

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy

Well hello, this is my first fanfiction! :D Please be generous in your reviews, it would help me mucho to get an outside opinion lol. Enjoy!

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><p>"Mother...what's happening next door?"<p>

A young boy stood peering inquisitively out a window, his eyes and ears riveted by bustle of activity outside. Struggling for balance, he stood on the tips of his toes to rest his weight upon the ledge of the sill. He was considerably small for his age, this disproportion the cause of a disparaged self-regard. Fortunately to his advantage, his hair - spiked and sprawled in almost every direction - served to lengthen his stunted figure. It took on a gentle blonde color from his mother and was tied neatly in the back where it was allowed to grow long.

Men were moving in, out and about old Loire residence, employed in conveying packaged items and furniture pieces from cargo trucks parked out front. They were industrious in their work and determined to perform efficiently for their labor was not paid in cheap. They arrived at dawn in a sudden, unexpected instance; each vehicle proceeding in loose tandem with the other. The tumultuous roar of the engines and its black smoke emissions pervaded the air, breaking the quiet rest of a village rousing from sleep. It was not long before the boy was able to make out the men's foreign appearances. The manner in which they dressed was unlike anything he had seen before: bold in color and variant. It intrigued the boy, who until now saw nothing outside of his rural province.

As the men continued to work, one object in particular caught hold of his interest. It was large and covered by a white sheet that outlined the contours of its odd shape. It laid resting on the ground only several inches short of two feet, but where it lacked in height it was made up for in width and immensely in weight. The object was handled by three men and facilitated unsuccessfully by a fourth. Among them it was nearly impossible to lift off ground. Clearly seeing their difficulty others joined in to help. It took a total of seven sets of hands to get the object carried away. He stared as it disappeared behind the doors of the neighboring manor.

The Loire Manor had been untenanted for years. According to oral tradition, its former owner, an elderly woman, died in the house long before the boy was born. Despondent and forlorn from the early death of her husband, the woman surrendered the once impressive estate to pitiful neglect. With no written will and no living relatives to survive her, the house was left in dilapidation, its contents auctioned or simply taken from the premises under discretion or by notions of rightful merit.

The boy turned back to his mother who was hard at work in the kitchen. Although older than the other mothers she managed to retain a magnificently robust form that conferred to her a less graceful, but more youthful appearance. She had a penchant for keeping busy and found it excruciatingly impractical to squander time idling. Apparently already in the know, the woman gave her son a ready answer, glancing up to impart a quick smile.

"We're getting new neighbors Cloud, isn't that exciting?"

The boy nodded and returned the smile. He had not been totally unaware of the rumors surrounding prospective newcomers.

"From what I have learned from Master Fair himself," she continued, "his family and theirs are quite intimately connected. We'll have to be courteous and pay them a visit soon so that we may introduce ourselves."

Cloud looked on in attempt to discern their whereabouts among the multitude outside, but to no present avail. For weeks on end an enlivenment had captivated the village of Nibelhiem when it was rumored that a reputable family from a distant city was considering building a vacation home on its vast grasslands. This stimulating news brought out an eager anticipation from its villagers, who after years of residence had become over-familiar with repetition of the uneventful. The rumor did not subside over time and instead became a rather common, controversial topic. Cloud's understanding was limited, derived from frequent allusions to an outside family and their supposed wealth. Now that the situation presented itself before him he drew to a realization that not only was the aforementioned family his neighbors, but were also people of consequence, corroborated by their "intimate" association with the Fair family.

After a moment's silence and observation, the boy's mother spoke again, this time insisting that he go outside to offer assistance. Reluctant he gestured a quiet decline, only conceding after careful prodding from his mother. As he stepped out, he felt the warmth of the early sun in combination with a light, airy breeze, envelope his body. Not knowing exactly whom to ask, he neared the less intimidating of men, making sidesteps along the way so not to cause obstruction for the busy movers. Falling short in capturing their attentions he succumbed to his frustration and resorted to taking the matter into his own. Mustering with what little courage he found from within, he pulled himself atop the bed of one of the cargo trucks when suddenly a hand forcefully seized him by the shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing boy?"


	2. Mr Lockhart

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Recap: New residents have moved into Nibelheim, inhabiting the old Loire Manor. Cloud is forced to help them move in.

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><p>Jolted by suspense, Cloud jerked his body toward the voice, finding a man stooping behind him. His eyes blazed a fiery red as it burned through his own frightened gaze. The man had watched the boy encroach the cargo from a close, but imperceptible distance. The act itself was not a serious offense, but the manner in which he did it gave more than enough reason to arouse his suspicion. It was within his interest to put an end to the mischief before it unfolded. When he saw that the boy meant to mount the truck, an acute pang of anger came over him. He was aggravated to have already found a deviant rummaging through his possessions not one hour after its arrival. Unable to tolerate the idea of this transgression proceeding further he made his swift advance.<p>

"I- I'm sorry sir, I…" Paralyzed by fear Cloud couldn't summon himself to speak another word, frantic reasoning would have rendered him to sound at fault. Impatient for a response the man violently dragged him off the bed, throwing him down against the jagged gravel. Cloud scoured his surroundings for bystanders, suppressing the pain he incurred from the fall, but "conveniently" not one person was within sight.

"So," said the man gruffly as he took a step forward, his voice slowly escalating out of ruminating anger, "you thought you can come around here, pry into my things, take whatever you can put your grubby fingers on, and then honestly expect to get away with it?"

"No sir!" answered prematurely.

"You know, its scoundrels like you that make life worse than the shithole it already is. My family and I came a long way to rid ourselves of the degenerate lifestyle one such as yourself possesses. And look what I come to find, it has followed me, in what I thought was one of the most unlikely of pla-"

A sudden voice heralded from not afar, "Is there a problem Benjamin?"

It was Mr. Fair.

Cloud stumbled to get himself off the ground as he drew in closer.

"Cloud?" Mr. Fair asked rather bemused by the curious occasion. This man garnered the respect and reverence of many in the village. He was referred to as kind and generous, and as his own family name suggested, he was just. His wealth and position only but supplemented the natural regality of his character alongside a strong build and illustrious, black mane. He turned the attention of the room, but more endearingly had no use for putting on an air of pretension, let alone thought about it. He had an easy temper and a knack for finding humor in a given circumstance. This marked quality of his was often mistaken for weakness by unsuspecting contenders, but he was more than capable of assuming a serious tone when it was called for.

"You know this boy, Angeal?" the man named Benjamin asked perplexed.

"I certainly do," he said, walking closer to place his hand and on the boy's shoulder. "His mother works for me as my servant."

Benjamin briefly paused, then went on, "I found him meddling in the back of one my cargo trucks. Up to no good if you ask me."

"Is that so?" said Angeal, looking down at the boy. "Well then, what do you have to say for yourself, Cloud? What were you doing in Mr. Lockhart's cargo?" Despite his best effort to appear otherwise, Angeal was unable to take the claim with any real gravity. He was quite assured that Cloud was not the kind of person Benjamin had mistaken him to be - not Cloud, the meek and soft spoken servant boy, whom his own son bestowed his most personal confidence upon.

Ashamed, but partly relieved by Mr. Fair's intervening presence Cloud sputtered his reply, unaware of the partiality Angeal had in his favor. "No, I'm sorry Mr. Fair! I wasn't up to no-good! Honest! My mother, she-"

"Yes of course!" he interposed, grasping the situation more clearly, "I should have supposed! Your mother's intentions are always for the good, I am sure. Though it's gotten you into a bit of trouble this time haven't it? No need to worry Benjamin!" He said looking at the man, "The boy's mother's sent him to aid your men! Nothing more, nothing less! You could use a boy like him; he's a lot stronger than he looks."

"I see…" Benjamin mused.

Although he relaxed his constrained posture, Cloud was not convinced that his suspicion was entirely dropped. Benjamin separated himself to call upon the nearest worker and had Cloud join him to help with the unloading. Angeal watched as Cloud left to follow the assigned worker. "He's a good kid," he told Benjamin as he returned. "His mother's a very good woman, though she doesn't get the kind of respect around here she deserves."

"Why is that?"

Angeal sighed, "It's a long story, really. I'm afraid we'll have to save it for another time..."


	3. Hierarchy

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII

Recap: In helping with the move in, Cloud encounters trouble with Mr. Lockhart, the new owner who accuses him of stealing. Mr. Angeal Fair, Mr. Lockhart's friend and Cloud's employer brings mediation. Mr. Lockhart agrees to let Cloud help and sends him off to assist a worker.

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><p>"Here you go kid." The worker propped a cardboard box unto Cloud's arms not bothering to check if it was light enough to be carried. Cloud shifted to regain balance. It was much heavier than what it looked, but he didn't want any more trouble and took it without complaint. On the top of the box was primly written the name, "Tifa." His imagination conjured an image of a disciplinarian woman; prudish, somber, and restrained from showing any emotion other than disdain. It was presumptuous, but he was well disposed to think the same about the rest of the household after his unfortunate encounter with its ill-tempered master of the house.<p>

Cloud followed the worker, whose name he'd forgotten the second it was mentioned. As soon as they entered the manor he took notice of the house's change of atmosphere from inside. The heaviness that once loomed stagnant for years had been ousted by the barrage of moving people and objects that were now inside. He saw that the windows were washed and let open, allowing the rooms to be flooded with sunlight and fresh air. The floors and woodwork were stripped of dust and dirt, and polished, reinstating the grandeur that was once only described to him in the vague remembrances of others.

They trudged upstairs into the room with the protruding window. It was a positioned right above the manor's front entryway. He had never been upstairs before and always wondered what it was like inside the room. He set the box down upon a desk to get a good look outside. The village looked different from this viewpoint. The ground level rested at a slight slope giving him an increased vantage of the area. He could see the water tower reservoir not far and toward the north his house; beyond that the Shinra Mansion.

"What are you doing? Come on we have a lot more things to get from the trucks," the worker interrupted.

It took a matter of three days for the moving process to finish. The remaining furniture was waited to be imported from overseas. In the mean time Cloud, along with a few remaining workers, stayed to help clean, assemble, and arrange household items. Most of the workers that have arrived days prior had already made their leave. Mr. Lockhart stipulated Cloud a meager sum for his labor and although unable to shake off a certain suspicion, invited him and his mother to dinner with his family and the Fairs. His family however, won't arrive until the end of the month.

"What do you think about Mr. Lockhart?" asked Cloud, the back of his head resting upon crossed arms.

"I don't know. He's cool I guess," responded Zack lazily.

The two boys lay head to head together on the ground. The grass blades that surrounded them cooled their heated bodies. The day so far had been uneventful. They were let out from school, and with no obligations at the moment, decided to ramble secretly outside the perimeter of village. Most adults, especially the elders, went to great lengths in forbidding youngsters from venturing too far from the village. They would relate images of ferocious man eating animals and monsters lurking in forested areas or holes and instances of traveling villagers never coming back. Such stories worked on children, but the older kids who have outgrown their scare tactics occasionally walked along the outer perimeter.

Zack and Cloud however, traveled farther than the other kids. Their usual rendezvous was about half an hour's walk away. Although trepid in their ways, they had not encountered one monster, at least not yet. None the matter, Zack was always goading to venture further. Cloud was significantly less comfortable with the idea, but he did not want to dampen the hands-on enthusiasm his friend had for adventure.

"He's my dad's, dad's, friend's son. We used to visit his family in the city when we were younger during the summer, but we stopped for some reason. I didn't really think much about him. He's a bit on the serious side."

"…He invited us to have dinner with him when his wife and kids come."

"Really? Hm that must have taken a lot for him."

"What do you mean?" Cloud sat up and turned to his friend who was still gazing at the sky.

"He has a real bad prejudice against people beneath him. Bad experiences you know what I mean."

"…"

"He thinks there's some sort of social hierarchy that should be followed to maintain order. The classes are separated so that those on the higher end don't become corrupt by the others. Messed up I know. Yet my dad continues to be friends with him."

Cloud sat silent in thought, and then asked, "Do you think that way about me?"

"I can really care less," said Zack hastily. He jumped up, "Hey listen you want to practice sword fighting with me? I'm in the mood, and I think we're far enough so that no one can see us."

As one of the lowest in the social rung, not only was Cloud and his mother unable to afford lessons, but the unspoken rule was that only those of noble status was able to take up such an honor.

Cloud looked up at his friend and gave a reluctant, but eager nod.


End file.
